Friends and family are coming together for a special tribute and benefit honoring the late artist Ron Robertson, an influential educator who worked in the UCSB Art Department and College of Creative Studies, and helped shape the printmaking program at Santa Barbara City College. Robertson passed away in October 2022.
Opening on Saturday, February 10, from noon to 4 p.m. at the Community Arts Workshop (CAW), “This show is a tribute to the father, artist, mentor, and friend Ron Robertson (see some of his work here). It is a show of fellow friends and artists engaging in a collaboration of sorts, using his unfinished works as a starting point for a tribute to Ron’s legacy,” shared the organizers.
This show — which will also be open on Sunday, February 11 from noon-4 p.m. — was an idea that developed after Ron passed away and the family offered artist and teacher Dug Uyesaka some of his unfinished work to be used by students in his art classes. Uyesaka said in a statement that he, “took that thoughtful intent a step further to have fellow friends and artists engage in a collaboration of sorts, using the unfinished work as a starting point for a tribute to Ron’s legacy.”
The works, which feature Ron Robertson’s art, as well as collaborative pieces combining his art with the visions of Ginny Brush, Mike Irwin, Rafael Perea de la Cabada, Sarah Robertson Palmer and Edie Robertson (Ron’s daughters), Mike Schmitt, Dug Uyesaka, and Linda West, embody “the fruits of love and friendship from Ron’s artsy orbit.”
The family is donating all of the proceeds from the sales of Ron’s work to CAW. Located at 631 Garden Street, the show will be on view from February 10-17, with weekdays viewings available by appointment; please call (805) 324-7443.
